Can I get some Big Green Egg stoke please?

[Cruiser]

I smoked a couple of chickens yesterday in my vertical smoker. They were delicious. But with the warm weather creeping up I've been feeling a resurgence of lust for the big green egg. It's a lot of coin to drop on a smoker, but I feel sure that it is the apex of smoking technology. Is the temp control really as easy to master as everyone says? Can I really get it rocking a solid 225* and then just walk away for several hours?

So, can you BGE smokers hook up a little bit of moist smoked meat stoke to convince me to part with the $$$?

[smmokan]

Yes, the BGE is everything it's cracked up to be. Good timing, I was just talking about them with my uncle, who's looking to buy one soon. It's funny- I used the exact example you asked about... when I cook ribs I set it at 225-230, plug in my wireless thermometer, and go do something else for hours. I'll never grill with anything else, except maybe an XL Big Green Egg (I only have a large right now).

Here's a pic from a couple years ago- I built the table myself instead of paying big bucks for the ones they sell. $100+ of wood and a few hours and mine is rock solid (although it is stained dark brown now).

You're down in Castle Rock, right? If you're up in the North Metro area anytime soon and want to stop by, I'd be happy to let you check it out in it's natural environment.

[givethepigeye]

Is the temp control really as easy to master as everyone says? Can I really get it rocking a solid 225* and then just walk away for several hours?

Yes - its pretty easy. I did a ham over the holidays (see below) and drove it a bit hard due to time constraints - but solid temp control. The new Eggs have a much improved stand/cradle - better wheels and lid hinge (that was my Xmas present). I had a PDQ indirect cooker (SS, oven type, custom-made cooker) and it is sitting in a storage unit - havent touched it since I bought the Egg. Does steaks well too - Ive gotten it so hot it melted the gasket. Also, that BGE charcoal is worth it.

Start:

Finish:


that fat-cap on top was just black on the outside, underneath the meat was juicy and pink

smmokan - that is a sweet table

[smmokan]

Hey PigEye- how do you cook steaks on the BGE? What temp, time on each side, etc? I don't cook many steaks since my wife doesn't eat red meat, but I'd like to start more.

[givethepigeye]

for steaks - I dont pay attention to the temp per se, just load the bottom with charcoal (about level with air holes - the round ones - maybe a little higher), and run it wide open w/o lid down five to six minutes a side for a pretty thick ny strip (1.5") that has been sitting out on the counter for an hour. If you run vents wide open it will get really hot - I like a crust on the outside of my steak and will put Montreal seasoning and olive oil on the outside, which helps with that.

[Flounder]

Hey PigEye- how do you cook steaks on the BGE? What temp, time on each side, etc? I don't cook many steaks since my wife doesn't eat red meat, but I'd like to start more.

Not pig eye but for mine I get the egg cranking to lava temp, sear about 90 secs a side, let rest for 20 minutes as I close up the egg and get it stabilized at about 400 and then pop the steaks back on for a few minutes a side until they are at the desired level. If you google trex method and BGE you will find good descriptions of the method.

I just did this on Saturday with a cedar planked salmon for the wife. Both were great. Ribs are great, best pulled pork ever, great pizzas and I just started making bread. Get the BGE, it is worth it!

[Cruiser]

Dammit. Just passed by the Ace this morning and the large BGE would run me just a few bucks less than $800. Mrs. Cruiser isn't going to be very excited about that.

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[jfost]

steaks are easy...

just get it hot as you can to start, sear all around (I do the sides too if a 1" or thicker cut) then throttle back to 400-ish til you get to your desired done-ness...

BGE is so freaking easy to maintain temps, you really can't go wrong. $pendy though, glad I got mine as a gift!

I have a medium, it works fine for family cooking, but would be too small for party cooking...

[smmokan]

I've got the large (as pictured), and it's definitely the right size for a family. I've successfully cooked seven racks of ribs at once, and about 4 dozen wings.

[Bobby Stainless]

From a family of BGE owners, they are well worth the money.

I have one, and so does my brother. My dad has three. My uncle has had the same one for at least 20 years.

[jfost]

I've got the large (as pictured), and it's definitely the right size for a family. I've successfully cooked seven racks of ribs at once, and about 4 dozen wings.

fuck. I guess "family cooking" is relative. I should say, for me, the wife, 4 and 1.5y'o kids, the medium works fine... (we don't really need 7 racks of ribs!!!)

[Grange]

I got my large BGE last month and have used several times so far. I've made chicken, pork butt, steak, and the last couple weekends ribs. below are some pictures I took for a different message board. As far as temp. control I still new but compared to my previous cheap smoker this thing is easy to maintain. I like to smoke around 225 to 230 and for the most part the temp. stays in that range. There are times that I have to adjust the vent, but overall it's much easier than my other smoker. They do make temp. controllers that work for the BGE or other ceramic smokers. DigiQ is just one name brand to look into if your interested.


My last smoke on the BGE, Ribs.


I rubbed them with the same rub I used for my first pork butt a few weeks ago. The rub is from Chris Lilly's recipe for pork butt. I then wrapped them and put in the refrigerator over night.


The next day I heated my BGE to 225 and again used a combination of cherry and hickory wood. There was still some wood left over from my first attempt I didn't want to dig out the old pieces so I just added a couple more. I also didn't use a rib rack since I was only doing one rack.

The rack after an hour or so. I did spray with apple juice.


After 2.5 hours. I again sprayed with apple juice after I took the picture.


I pulled the ribs a few minutes later and wrapped them in foil with some brown sugar and apple juice. I put a hole in the first layer and had to double layer the rack with foil. I should have added more juice to compensate for what I lost, but I didn't.


After close to two hours wrapped I pulled them.


I again used Butcher BBQ sauce and put them back on the grill.


This time I kept a much closer eye on the ribs and after 15-20 minutes I tried the bend test that I read on here. I also tried the toothpick test and it went in very easily.


I let the ribs go for about another 10 minutes hoping the sauce would caramelize more before I pulled them for good. To me this was very critical, because I think this is the part where my first attempt went wrong. I left them on the smoker too long. I pulled the ribs and did the bend test and toothpick test again. All seemed OK.


The finished product. I would have like a little more bone showing, but was maybe overly conscious about leaving the ribs on the smoker too long.


I cut a couple ribs off the larger side to see the smoke ring. There was a smoke ring .


I tried the bite test that I've read about on here, where a properly done rib will pull away from the bone, but leave a bite mark. These ribs seemed to do that fairly well. They were a touch chewy, but really not bad at all.


Finally onto the plate they went. I served them up with homemade baked bean and frozen corn.


I've still got room for improvement on ribs.

Here a few pictures of the chicken and pork butt.

[whatcomridaz]

Skip the BGE and get a good pellet smoker. Smoking a side of pork with hickory and cherry will change your life.

[Grange]

I considered a pellet pooper when I was looking. I like the temp. control they offer, but I went with BGE because the pellets are expensive and have access to all the hardwood I can cut and the BGE is super efficient with lump charcoal. I smoked my pork butt for 15 hours and still had charcoal left. I probably could have gone about 20 hours on one load (about 5 lbs or so) at 230-240.

[whatcomridaz]

I haven't found pellets to be too expensive. I smoke at 190 for 12-16 hours regularly, and might use a half hopper. or 8-10lbs of pellets.

It's truly set and forget.

[Benny Profane]

Has anyone done a 12-14lb turkey? Is an XL for that?

[flatlander#2]

I'd bet my buddy Carl has knocked out several thousand pounds of animal on his over 10 years. My little brother has a pellet, it's ok, close.

[smmokan]

Has anyone done a 12-14lb turkey? Is an XL for that?

I haven't smoked a turkey, but my dad has on his large BGE. I'm pretty sure he said it was in that 12lb range.

[Sagamoron]

I think I know where my tax return is headed...

[Benny Profane]

So, just to get something straight - this thing works fine as a grill, right? A lot of emphasis on smoking here. Should I keep the Weber parked next to it for faster cooking?

[smmokan]

Benny- the BGE takes a few minutes longer to get started, but it works just fine as a grill. I regularly grill bone-in chicken and pork tenderloin. In fact, I used my sister's gas grill last night for bone-in chicken and the flavor was nowhere close to what I'm used to getting from my BGE.

[Benny Profane]

It's pricey, but, damn, that thing is heavy. If I ever buy a place and have a permanent spot on a sturdy deck, well, maybe.....

[jp13]

Bge are real nice...and real expensive. They do last forever, but so do Weber's if you throw a cover on one. The 22 inch kettle is a very good all around grill/bbq'er. The WSM smoker is great for the price.

Check out..

http://tvwbb.com/eve/forums

for more bbq/weber info.

[irul&ublo]

Dammit. Just passed by the Ace this morning and the large BGE would run me just a few bucks less than $800. Mrs. Cruiser isn't going to be very excited about that.

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Buy the thing and when she complains tell her to go make you a sandwich.

[irul&ublo]

Bge are real nice...and real expensive. They do last forever, but so do Weber's if you throw a cover on one. The 22 inch kettle is a very good all around grill/bbq'er. The WSM smoker is great for the price.

Check out..

http://tvwbb.com/eve/forums

for more bbq/weber info.

And...you can set the weber kettle up as a smoker for about 60.00.....www.smokenator.com